Carton erecting and expanding mechanism



Dec. 27, 1960 H. E. ENGLEsoN ErAL CARTON ERECTING AND EXPANDINGMECHANISM Filed Nov. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

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l INVENTORS; HARRY E. ENGLESON ELM ER D. SRAMEK ATT'YS Dec. 27, 1960 H.E. ENGLEsoN ErAL 2,966,100

CARTON EREGTING AND EXPANDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 8,1957.

INvx-:N'roRs: HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D` SRAMEK United States Patent e2,966,100 CARTON ERECTING AND EXPANDING MECHANISM Harry E. Engleson,Chicago, and Elmer D. Sramek, Cicero, Ill., assignors to F. B. RedingtonCo., Bellwood, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 8, 1957, Ser.No. 695,319 7 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) This invention relates in general topackaging machines, and more particularly to an apparatus for opening orerecting cartons from the hat and inserting the cartons into buckets onan endless conveyer.

The present invention is adapted tok be used in association with apackaging machine and deals with a device which opens or erectscollapsible cartons in the flat and inserts the cartons into buckets ofan endless conveyer. The collapsed cartons are initially removed one ata time from a magazine and delivered to an opening or erecting stationwherein the device of the present invention effects certain operationson the collapsed carton. At the opening or erecting station, theerecting device includes an upper stationary vacuum cup adapted to gripand hold the top side panel of the carton at the erecting station, alower vacuum cup adapted to engage the lower side panel of the cartonand movable to substantially erect the carton, a stop against which theleading edge of the carton engages at the erecting station, and a lingerpivotally mounted above the opening station for completing the openingand squaring up of the carton after it has been initially substantiallyopened by the movement of the lower vacuum cup. The vacuum is releasedin the lower vacuum cup after the carton has been substantially opened,and the lower vacuum cup continues to move out of the path of the cartonwhich is to be then inserted into an aligned bucket of the conveyer. Aninserting or transfer member is operated after the carton has beensquared up to insert the trailing end of the carton into the alignedbucket. Response to the transfer member reaching a predeterminedposition, the vacuum in the upper vacuum cup is released. The forward orleading end of the carton is then forced into the bucket as the conveyeradvances by means of an inclined guide engaging the leading end of thecarton. Heretofore, many carton erecting devices utilized a bladearrangement which was quite slow in operation and which of course slowedup the overall operation of the packaging machine. Thus, in order toincrease the speed of the machine, it is inherently necessary to providefaster carton erection and faster insertion of the carton into thebuckets on the conveyer of the machine.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improvedcarton erecting or opening mechanism for use on packaging machines andthe like, wherein faster carton erection is obtained thereby enhancingthe speed of the packaging machine.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a cartonerecting or expanding mechanism which eliminates the necessity ofinserting a blade into the carton for erection thereof whereinsubstantially greater speed of carton erection is obtained.

Still another object of this invention is in the provision of a devicefor erecting cartons and inserting the erected carton into a bucket of abucket conveyer on a packaging machine, wherein the device is capable ofoperating at a greater speed than heretofore obtained thereby allowingthe speed of the machine to be increased accordingly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a carton erecting orexpanding mechanism adapted for use with a packaging machine whichincludes an upper stationary vacuum cup and a lower movable Vacuum cupcoacting to initiate expansion or erection of a collapsed carton,

and a pivotal finger arranged to complete the erecting and scoring up ofthe carton in order to allow `ample time to remove the lower vacuum cupout of the path of movement of the carton so that the carton may beimmediately inserted into a bucket of a conveyor.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like referencenumerals refer to like parts, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a packaging machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the device for electing the cartons andinserting the cartons into the bucket conveyer and illustrating thevarious positions obtained by the carton as it is opened at the erectingstation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in differentpositions;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the parts still in anotherposition at the conclusion of another step of operation of the erectingand inserting device; and

Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, l0 and l1 are more or less diagrammatic perspectiveviews illustrating the sequential operation performed on the collapsedcarton to open the carton and insert it into the conveyer bucket.

Referring now to the drawings and especially to Fig. l, the device ofthe present invention which erects cartons from the flat and insertsthem into a bucket on a conveyer, generally designated by the numeral10, is illustrated in association with an endless bucket conveyer 11having a plurality of spaced conveying lugs 12 defining therebetweenbuckets or pockets 13. The bucket conveyer 11 is trained around thecarton conveyer idler sprocket 14 and a drive sprocket at the other end(not shown) wherein the conveyer carries the cartons through the machinefor lling and closing operations. Preferably, the conveyer will becontinuously operated to bring successive buckets into alignment with anerection or opening station 15 at the erecting and inserting device 10,although the conveyer may be lintermittently operated in some cases, ifdesired.

Collapsed cartons 16 are delivered flat to the erection station 15 bymeans of a pusher conveyer 17 which receives the cartons one at a timefrom the carton magazine 18 arranged thereabove. The pusher conveyer 17includes a table or supporting surface 19 upon which the cartons arereceived and advanced therealong to the erection station 15. A pushingmember 20 is mounted on an endless chain 21 trained about longitudinallyspaced sprockets 22 and 23 rotatable on vertical axes.

The magazine 18 includes right angle guides 24 arranged to conne thecartons 16 into a stack 25, wherein one carton at a time may be removedfrom the bottom of the stack and delivered to a conveyer 17. Cartons arekept from falling out of the magazine by oppositely disposed coactingsupporting blades 26, 26 and 27, 27 alternately movable by means ofparallel linkage arrangements. The lowermost carton 16 in the magazine18 is pulled down at its opposite ends by vacuum cups 28 so that thesupporting blades 27 may move inwardly to support the entire stack andremove the weight partially from the blades 26 which then move outwardlyand permit the lowermost carton to drop onto the conveyer table 19. Thevacuum cups 28 are mounted on elongated arm arrangements 29 pivotalabout longitudinally extending shafts 3l).

The pushing members 20 engage the trailing edge of the collapsed carton16 and advance it to the opening station 15 in a manner illustrated inFig. 5 wherein the top side panel 31 and trailing end panel 32 of thecarton are facing upwardly and the lower side panel 33 and the leadingend panel 34 are facing downwardly. The

leading end of the carton 16 abuts a stop at the erection station whichprevents the carton from over-shooting the station. This stop is definedby the forward lugs 12 of the bucket 13 aligned with the erectionstation 15 and an inclined guide plate 35. When the collapsed carton isproperly positioned at the erection station, the leading edge abuts thisstop, while the rear end of the top side panel 31 is positioned beneatha pair of upper stationary vacuum cups 36 and the lower side panel 33 ispositioned over a pair of transversely spaced lower vacuum cups 37 asseen in Fig. 6. The upper and lower vacuum cups are in substantialalignment with each other and are connected to a vacuum source, whereinthe upper vacuum cups grip the upper side panel 31 of the collapsedcarton and the lower vacuum cups grip the lower side panel 33.

The lower vacuum cups are mounted on vertically extending arms 38pivotally secured to a parallel linkage mechanism arranged below theerection station 15. This parallel linkage mechanism includes upper andlower parallel links 39 and 4) pivoted at one end to the arms 33 andmounted at the other end on upper and lower rotatable shafts 41 and 42.The shafts 41 and 42 are in direct vertical alignment and insubstantially direct alignment below the trailing edge of the collapsedcarton 16 when it is arranged in the erection station 15. Operation ofthe parallel linkage mechanism and the lower suction cups 37 is obtainedby actuation of a lever 43 secured at one end to the lower shaft 42 asis the lower parallel link 40 and pivotally secured at the other end toa reciprocable link 44. The link 44 may be connected to any suitablereciprocable driving means which is well known in the prior art.

A source of vacuum is fed to the upper vacuum cups through a line 45, avacuum release valve 46, and flexible lines 47 from any suitable sourceof vacuum. Similarly, the same source of vacuum may feed a vacuum to thelower suction cups 37 through a line 48, a vacuum release valve 49 andflexible lines 50. This manner of supplying vacuum to the suction cupsis only illustrative inasmuch as any type of arrangement might beutilized. The vacuum release valves 46 and 49 are arranged to normallyfeed the vacuum to their respective vacuum cups, but include levers 46aand 49a which, when actuated, release the vacuum in their respectivevacuum cups. Thus, when Va collapsed carton is initially advanced to theerection station 15, the suction cups may grasp their respective sidepanels of the carton.

Operation of the parallel linkage mechanism for the lower suction cupsis commenced after the suction cups have taken proper hold of theirrespective side panels of the carton and Ithe initial expansion of thecarton is accomplished, wherein the carton is expanded to the shape seenin Fig. 7 and the dotted line position 51 of Fig. 2. At this position,the upper parallel link 39 engages the release lever 49a of the vacuumrelease valve 49 for the lower vacuum cups 37 and release the vacuum tothese cups so that the lower suction cups may continue to move out ofthe path of the carton. Because of the parallel linkage mechanism, thelower vacuum cups will move through an arcuate path dictated by theparallel links 39 and 40, but will always maintain a substantiallyperpendicular relationship to the collapsed carton or to the side panelsof the carton. Y

The carton is then completely erected and squared up by downwardmovement of one or more rocking fingers 52 which engage the trailingedge of the carton and expand it to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 8and the dotted line position 53 of Fig. 2. Each finger 52 rocks aboutthe shaft 54 and is provided with an extension 55 which pivotallyconnects to an actuating lever 56 driven by any suitable reciprocal orequivalent driving arrangement. After the carton is squared up, it isnecessary to then insert it into the aligned bucket 13 of the bucketconveyer 11, but it is always noted that the forward or leading edge ofthe carton abuts and pivots at the stop delined by the forward lugs YV12of the aligned bucket and the inclined guide plate 35.

Since the rocking linger 52 completes one erection of each carton, Vthelower suction cups 37 are allowed ample time to move out of the path ofthe carton which can then Ybe inserted into the aligned bucket. A pairof transversely spaced transfer members or fingers 57 are mounted abovethe erection station for engaging the top of the carton and insertingthe trailing end of the carton into the bucket. These fingers 57 aresecured to a transversely extending shaft 58 mounted to rotate upon itsaxis. Also secured to the shaft is an actuating lever 59 having areciprocable link 60 pivoted at its outer end which is connected to anysuitable reciprocable drive arrangement. As the lingers begin to engagethe top of the carton, the actuating lever 59 engages release lever 46aof the vacuum release valve 46 which releases the vacuum from the uppervacuum cups 36 so that the carton may then be inserted into the alignedbucket. The

Vcarton then takes the shape as seen Figs. 4 and 10 and in dotted linesin phantom 61 of Fig. 2. In this position, the trailing end panel 32,for all practical purposes, engages substantially at against the rearlugs of the aligned bucket, Fig. 4, so that when the conveyer 11 isadvanced, the pushing forces of the lugs are transmitted substantiallyequally through both upper and lower side panels of the carton toeffectively force the upper leading corner of the carton down along theinclined guide plates 35 to the position shown in Fig. l1 and indicatedby the numeral 62 in Fig. 1. At this position, the inclined guide plate35 merges with a longitudinally extending hold down bar 63 whichmaintains the cartons in the buckets as the cartons are moved along bythe bucket conveyer. Since the pushing forces are transmitted throughboth side panels during the forcing of the leading end of the cartoninto the bucket, buckling of the cartons is eliminated.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention, but it is understood that this application is to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

l. In a machine for opening cartons from the iiat, a magazine forholding collapsed cartons, means for feeding one carton at a time fromthe magazine to an opening station, a stop at said station for engagingthe leading edge of the collapsed carton and mechanism for opening thecarton, said mechanism comprising a stationary vacuum cup for holdingthe upper side of said carton, a parallelogram linkage mechanism pivotedbelow the trailing edge of the collapsed carton at the opening stationand carrying an arm, all positions of said arm being parallel to oneanother and perpendicular to the collapsed carton, said arm beingpositioned below the collapsed carton, a vacuum cup on said arm forengaging the opposite side of the carton, means to actuate said linkagemechanism, and a pivotally mounted linger arranged to complete squaringup of the carton after the vacuum cups have opened same.

2. In a machine for opening cartons from the flat, a magazine forholding collapsed cartons, means for feeding one carton at a time fromthe magazine to an opening station, a stop at said station for engagingthe leading edge of the collapsed carton and mechanism for open- Vingthe carton, said mechanism comprising an upper stationary vacuum cup forholding the top side of the collapsed carton, a parallelogram linkagemechanism pivoted below the trailing edge of the collapsed carton at theopening station and carrying an arm, all positions of said arm beingparallel to one Yanother and perpendicular to the collapsed carton, alower vacuum cup on said arm for engaging the bottom side of thecollapsed carton, means to actuate said linkage mechanism to open thecarton, means to release the vacuum in the lower suction cup when thecarton is partially opened, and a. finger pivotally mounted above thecollapsed carton operable to complete opening and squaring up of thecarton.

3. ln a packaging machine including an endless con veyer having spacedbuckets for supporting and moving erected cartons through the machine,means for erecting cartons from the flat and inserting them into thebuckets of the conveyer one at a time, said means comprising an upperstationary vacuum cup for holding the top side panel of the carton, astop for engaging leading edge of a collapsed carton, a parallelogramlinkage mechanism pivoted below the trailing edge of the collapsedcarton and carrying an arm, all positions of said arm being parallel toone another and perpendicular to the collapsed carton, a lower vacuumcup on said arm for engaging the lower side panel of the collapsedcarton, means for actuating said linkage mechanism, means responsive tothe positioning of said lower vacuum cup for releasing the vacuumtherein when the carton is substantially erected, a linger pivotallymounted above the erecting station operable to swing down and engage thetrailing end panel of the substantially erected carton to completelyerect and square up the carton, and transfer means for moving thetrailing end of the carton into the aligned bucket.

4. In a packaging machine including an endless conveyer having spacedbuckets for supporting and moving erected cartons through the machine,means for erecting cartons from the at and inserting them into thebuckets of the conveyer one at a time, said means comprising an upperstationary vacuum cup for holding the top side panel of the carton, astop for engaging the leading edge of a collapsed carton, aparallelogram linkage mechanism pivoted below the trailing edge of thecollapsed carton and carrying an arm, all positions of said arm beingparallel to one another and perpendicular to the collapsed carton, alower vacuum cup on said arm for engaging the lower side panel of thecollapsed carton, means for actuating said linkage mechanism, meansresponsive to the positioning of said lower vacuum cup for releasing thevacuum therein when the carton is substantially erected, a ngerpivotally mounted above the erecting station operable to swing down andengage the trailing end panel of the substantially erected carton tocompletely erect and square up the carton, transfer means for moving thetrailing end of the carton'into the aligned bucket, and means responsiveto the movement of said transfer means for releasing the vacuum in theupper vacuum cup.

5. In a packaging machine including an endless conveyer having spacedbuckets for supporting and moving erected cartons through the machine,means for erecting cartons from the at and inserting them into thebuckets of the conveyer one at a time, said means comprising an upperstationary vacuum cup for holding the top side panel of the carton, astop for engaging the leading edge of a collapsed carton, aparallelogram linkage mechanism pivoted below the trailing edge of thecollapsed carton and carrying an arm, all positions of said arm beingparallel to one another and perpendicular to the collapsed carton, alower vacuum cup on said arm for engaging the lower side panel of thecollapsed carton, means for actuating said linkage mechanism, meansresponsive to the positioning of said lower vacuum cup for releasing thevacuum therein when the carton is substantially erected, a fingerpivotally mounted above the erecting station operable to swing down andengage the trailing end panel of the substantially erected carton tocompletely erect and square up the carton, transfer means for moving thetrailing end of the carton into the aligned bucket, means responsive tothe movement of said transfer means for releasing the vacuum in theupper vacuum cup, and stationary guide means for inserting the leadingend of the erected carton into the bucket upon advancing of theconveyer.

6. In a packaging machine including an endless conveyer having spacedlugs defining buckets adapted to receive and support erected cartons formoving same through the machine, an erecting station arranged over oneend of said conveyer, the successive buckets adapted to be successivelypositioned in alignment with said erecting station, means for feedingone collapsed carton at a time to said erecting station, an inclinedguide coacting with the leading lug of the bucket at said station todene a stop at said station for engaging the leading edge of a collapsedcarton, and mechanism for erecting the collapsed carton and inserting itinto the aligned bucket, said mechanism comprising an upper stationaryvacuum cup for holding the top side panel of the carton during theerecting thereof, a lower vacuum cup for engaging 'the lower side panelof said carton, linkage means for moving said lower vacuum cupdownwardly, means responsive to the positioning of said lower vacuum cupfor releasing the vacuum therein when the carton is substantiallyerected, a inger pivotally mounted above the erect- :ing stationoperable to swing downwardly and engage the trailing end panel of thecarton to completely erect and square up the carton, transfer means forinserting the trailing end of the erected carton into the alignedbucket, and means responsive to the positioning of the transfer meansfor releasing the vacuum in the upper vacuum cup, whereby advancing ofthe conveyer causes said inclined guide to force the leading end of thecarton into the bucket.

7. In a packaging machine including an endless conveyer having spacedlugs defining buckets adapted to receive and support erected cartons formoving same through the machine, an erecting station arranged over oneend of said conveyer, the successive buckets adapted to be successivelypositioned in alignment with said erecting station, means for feeding oncollapsed carton at a time to said erecting station, an inclined guideenacting to dene with the leading lug of the bucket at said station, astop at said station for engaging the leading edge of a collapsed cartonand mechanism for erecting the collapsed carton and inserting it intothe aligned bucket, said mechanism comprising an upper stationary vacuumcup for holding the top side panel of the carton during the erectingthereof, a parallelogram linkage mechanism pivoted below the trailingedge of the collapsed carton and carrying an arm, all positions of saidarm being parallel to one another and perpendicular to the collapsedcarton, a lower vacuum cup on said arm for engaging the lower side panelof the collapsed carton, means for actuating said linkage mechanism,means responsive to the positioning of said lower vacuum cup forreleasing the vacuum therein when the carton is substantially erected,whereby continued downward movement of said lower vacuum cup takes itout of the path of said carton while the carton is being further erectedand inserted into the bucket, a finger pivotally mounted above theerecting station operable to swing downwardly and engage the trailingend panel of the carton to completely erect and square up the carton,transfer means for inserting the trailing end of the erected carton intothe aligned bucket, and means responsive to the positioning of thetransfer means for releasing the Vacuum in the upper vacuum cup, wherebyadvancing of the conveyer causes said inclined guide to force theleading end of the carton into the bucket.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,989,286 Milmoe Jan. 29, 1935 2,612,823 Woelfer Oct. 7, 1952 2,834,264Ferguson et al May 13, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 432,823 Great Britain Aug.2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION PatentNo.. 2,966,100 December 27, 1960 Harry EL, Engleson et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below Column 1, line 39, for "Response" read Responsive uw;column 4, line 21, after "seen" insert 1n column 6, line 35, for "on"read one Signed and sealed this 30th day of May 1961g (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

